New Year
by and then again
Summary: Changes in Rory's life result in new happenings at Chilton. Trory.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: don't own any of it.

AU: So Tristan never got sent to military school. And dean and Rory are conveniently over. Jess isn't really a love interest in this.

Rory Gilmore looked at the impressive building in front of her.

"Third years the charm. I bet junior year will be the one to finally make you happy that you decided on this torture chamber as a school," her mother told her.

"yeah. I bet." Rory answered. And with that she slid out of the car, un-bunched her plaid skirt, and made her way to the entrance.

Fifteen minutes later and one broken locker, Rory wondered how a school could charge so much and yet still have such crappy lockers. She banged on it a bit, hoping it would magically pop open.

"Need help?" A voice behind her asked.

She turned and saw a guy who was in her math class the year before, Tim …something.

"oh sure."

He delivered one swift pop of the fist and the locker gave.

"Thanks."

"No problem," he smiled at her.

"Yeah that was very nice of you Tim. Scurry along now," a voice came between the both of them.

Tim looked rather distressed and then without so much as a word to Rory, he took off down the hall.

"Do I even want to know what that was about?" Rory asked, turning to face the smug mug of Tristan Dugrey.

"Probably not," He smiled sheepishly.

"Why'd Tim look so upset?" Rory crusaded.

Tristan leaned against the locker next to hers, looking very much like a king reigning over his territory.

"Probably because he's afraid of what'd I do to him, seeing him like he was."

"Like he was? He just opened my locker for me and anyway what's it matter to you?" Rory said crossly.

"I want to be the one of open your locker, dear. Every morning, I want to be your white knight."

Rory rolled his eyes at his bravado, "that's all very nice. But what I mean is why does Tim have to answer to you?"

Tristan showed her the infamous smirk then and obviously took delight in saying, "because everyone answers to me at Chilton."

"Oh, I forgot," Rory said with another roll of her eyes.

Tristan continued, "The guys here know that you are a favorite of mine. They think twice before messing with you."

Rory felt a little nauseous hearing his proud owner of a harem-esque tone.

"A favorite of yours, please could you be more Neanderthal?"

Tristan's grin stretched across his face, "for you, yes."

Rory gathered her book into her arms and then faced him again, "Besides, Tim wasn't 'messing' with me. He was being nice."

Tristan shrugged, "yeah. I don't really like them to do that either."

Rory looked at him, a bit befuddled by his sheer nerve, "are you telling me that you are personally responsible for my total lack of interaction with the boys here?"

Tristan shrugged again, "What do you care? You have bagboy anyway."

Rory scanned her schedule one last time and absentmindedly said, "we broke up," before starting her walk down the hallway.

Tristan looked at her retreating back. What?

"So you're single Mary?" He shouted down the hallway, drawing the attention of other Chilton students.

Rory chose not to answer.

Mary.

Funny how Tristan's nickname didn't phase her so much. Probably because it was no longer appropriate, something she didn't plan on letting Tristan find out. It would probably break his cocky, self-righteous little heart to know someone else had done the deflowering.

Somewhere over the summer, her and dean had turned stale. Mistakenly thinking the solution was taking it up a notch rather than parting ways, Rory had slept with him. Despite whatever promises she had made, Rory hadn't chosen to share this information with her mother. She had quite collected her thoughts about her no longer virginal status. It had mattered a lot less than she had expected it to. She was sure her mother would have been able to tell instantly but surprisingly Lorelai was still oblivious to it. She had thought it would fix her and dean, it hadn't -- they broke up a week later-- and she, mainly thought it would change her. She didn't feel any different. In fact it was one of more uneventful turning points of her life. However, she had a feeling, still aware of Tristan's eyes burning into her back, that this year was going to pick up. Like her mother said, three's the charm.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi Tim," Rory called out as the boy walked past her locker.

"oh hey," he said quickly before disappearing down the hallway.

Rory turned and faced the ever present Tristan.

"Your work I presume?"

"what?" he asked innocently.

"Tristan, I…" Rory trailed off as his girl of the week sidled up to him.

"hey there," she practically purred not bothering to greet Rory.

Tristan, ever aloof, gave the girl a cool glance before slinging his arm around her shoulders.

"We finished here Mary?" he said.

Rory felt her cheeks flush.

"yeah, please don't let me get in your way. I'm sure you have some fascinating conversation to catch up on," she huffed throwing a disdainful look at the girl who seemed to have super glued herself to Tristan's body.

Rory found the couple again, melded together in an intense lip lock, conveniently next to her locker, at the end of the day.

"Ugh, don't you people do anything else?" She said more to herself that them.

Rory finished grabbing her books from her locker before she turned and gave Tristan's arm a hard jab.

"Ow, what," he said immediately and then seeing who it was he smirked at her, "what you want in?"

"hardly."

"okay well, me and Shellie are sort of busy."

"Shelia," the girl interjected with a voice laden in pout.

Rory struggled to keep her voice even.

"I need to talk to you."

Tristan detached the girl from his arms as if shrugging off lint.

"About what?" he said suggestively.

The abandoned girl made little annoyed sounds finding herself dropped so quickly.

Rory's attention was momentarily distracted from her task at hand.

"I'm sorry," she said addressing Shelia, "I know I don't know you but how can you put up with him? I mean, he obviously doesn't hold much respect for females in general. And I would think any self-respecting person would want more from a relationship," Rory finished, to finally draw air in again.

"Whoa Mary," Tristan said easing between the two females, "ease up."

The girl who had looked understandably confused at Rory's outburst now looked at her through narrowed eyes and said, "you are like really weird."

Rory made snorting noise and muttered under her breathe, but still audibly, "clever response."

Tristan decided it was time to separate the two and nodded curtly at Shellie, er Shelia, and pulled Rory some distance down the hallway. He continued his trek until he came upon a empty classroom.

Rory yanked her arm away from his strong grip, trying to suppress the warm feeling that had flushed her cheeks at his touch.

"Manhandle much?" She said bitterly.

Tristan shrugged, leaning against the door.

"You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah," Rory said standing straighter and smoothing invisible wrinkles in her blazer.

Tristan grinned at her discomfort and began walking closer.

Rory saw this and instinctively moved back. She hit hard wood and noted that she had back herself into the teacher's desk.

Tristan was now fully smirking at her prey instincts and he only stopped moving closer when the distance between was so miniscule and Rory was sure she could feel him exhaling.

"So what did you want to talk about?" He practically growled into her ear.

Rory felt a chill run through her entire body as his words hit her ear and the heady scent of his cologne overwhelmed her. She gripped the desk tightly with her hands.

Tristan, of course, did not fail to notice this.

"Mary, relax," he said, almost whispering it even though they were the only two in the room. He moved his own hand to her wrist and began to make lazy circles with his thumb on the underside of her arm. Rory felt herself losing her sense of purpose.

"Tristan, you have to," she forced herself to meet his gaze and lost the end of her sentence in his blue orbs. They were like the sea during a storm. Terrifying and wildly exhilarating. Rory unconsciously wetted her painfully dry lips with her tongue and tried to recall how she had let herself get in this situation. Internally, Tristan was doing everything he could to keep his cool which wasn't so easy when Rory did moves like nibbling on her soft lips and staring up at him with her blue saucer eyes. Things that she had no idea how they affected him.

Tristan waited, staring down into her eyes and not saying a word, and almost without her noticing moved his hand from her wrist to her hip. Lightly lying there, like dynamite about to go off.

After a prolonged pause, and Rory's sharp intake of breathe as she felt the heat exude from his hand to her hip, through her thin shirt, burning her skin, she cleared her throat.

"stop, you have to stop," she finished her long overdue thought.

Tristan's eyes darkened at her resistance and he gave her a look which went straight to her core and told her he didn't believe her protests for a minute.

He leaned his face in closer, so close, and Rory unconsciously angled hers so he'd have better access. Another millimeter was taken and Rory closed her eyes anticipating the kiss.

Her eyes flew open a second later feeling the withdrawal of heat and she saw Tristan had backed up a step. She hated herself for wanting that kiss and she hated him for not giving it.

There was laughter in his eyes at her internal struggle which was painfully apparent to both of them. Rory couldn't stand this type of humiliation and she rallied herself instantly.

"you have to call of whatever this thing is with the guys here."

"what do you mean," Tristan asked, obviously surprised that this was what she wanted to talk about.

"You said, that they stay away from me because of you. And I never really noticed because of Dean," and Rory looked away from Tristan's searching eyes at this point, "but Dean's gone now. And I can barely make conversation with a guy without them running every time they think they see your shadow."

Tristan frowned, the expressing marring his calm façade.

"So you want to date?" he asked as if she was saying something completely ludicrous.

Rory sighed with impatience and said, "you know. I shouldn't even have to be telling you this. Maybe I want to date but mostly it just sickens me to think you have that much control over my life. It's ridiculous."

"You want to date," He said accusatorily disregarding her comment.

Rory rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, "so?"

"so date me, don't date those other chumps," Tristan said in an even voice.

"please, you'd get tired after one week." she answered, hoping to skip pass any sincerity his request mind have contained.

Tristan looked straight in the eye, "I would?"

"yeah," she said looking at him back, "and besides. It's never going to happen between us."

Tristan tried not to flinch when she flung those words at him.

He crossed the room in one swift motion and pulled her flush against his body.

Rory struggled against the feeling of complete want that invaded her body and mind when she was close to him. She attempted to pull away but his hands were too strong for her so she gave up and sank herself into him.

Tristan looked down at her, but the look in eyes was hardly tender. In fact it was so cold, Rory knew she should leave the room and this embrace right away.

His words were quiet but they cut through the silent room like a knife.

"You see this Rory? See how badly you want me? It's pathetic."

And with that he released her. She felt as if her skin had been branded where his fingers had been. She wouldn't let him see how badly she was hurt.

"You're despicable. I hate you." she said.

"Then why haven't you left yet?"

She grabbed her book bag from the floor and was halfway out the door when she heard his one word, "Rory."

She turned. Even though he clearly wasn't one for apologies, he looked sorry. He looked ashamed of himself.

He stepped closer and then stopped himself.

"We could…" he started, slowly…sincerely.

"Never," She cut him off, throwing his attempt at something new back in his face.

She could see an instant hardening in him. The word seemed to sink into his face and his eyes, imbedding itself in his skin.

"You leave now and I'm done with all of it," he said, his words just skirting at what they both knew this had always been about.

Rory shrugged as if she could care less, as if she had never thought about them together.

She forced herself to leave the room and him.

Reviews keep it all going. 3


	3. Chapter 3

Rory began to notice a gradual shift in the workings of her life at Chilton. Tim no longer hesitated before nodding to her in the hallways. A sophomore in her advanced math class had tried to strike up a conversation with her, while blushing furiously. It wasn't like a tide of boys were knocking at her locker, she hadn't expected that, but through these little things she could tell Tristan had followed through on her request. Not that she could thank him or anything, if she wanted to that is, for Rory hadn't seen Tristan all week besides in her English class where he sat at the opposite side of the room anyway. He had appeared to have moved his favorite make out spot far away from her locker, not that she spent time scouting out his whereabouts or anything. Something she tried to express to Lane one afternoon.

"It's just weird, I mean I hated the way he bothered me, but he just disappeared. I didn't think people do that. A simple request doesn't necessitate the total absence of someone in a person's life. I mean who does that anyway? But he's Tristan and he's probably just trying to bother me…not that he is bothering me. I'm not bothered. It's just weird."

Lane looked at her before speaking, "Rory, didn't you ask him to disappear?"

Rory sat up and emphatically exclaimed, "No, I did not. And besides he's never listened to me before. Why did he suddenly disappear now? And I never told him to just never talk to me again all I did was tell him that he had to relinquish control over my life at Chilton and he obviously couldn't handle that. Male ego infested," she searched for the perfect descriptor, "jerk."

"But by telling him you wanted to date other guys wasn't it, in so many words, saying you wanted him to get lost?"

"NO, god Lane. Tristan and I were never dating; we weren't even friends. I mean, it's not like I walked up to dean and told him I wanted him to set me up with his best friend. That would be a not so subtle hint. This was completely different, Tristan and I aren't…weren't anything."

"Obviously you were in his mind," Lane responded pertly.

Rory crossed her arms and said stubbornly, "that is so ridiculous I'm not even going to respond."

Lane, chuckling at how stubborn her best friend could be, responded, "okay okay. Maybe you are right. I mean, I'm certainly not the expert, the guy I spend time with the most goes by the name of Jesus, but I really do think, and this Is just my humble non-guy-knowing opinion, that Tristan really liked you. And he could never convince you of that because you were so caught up with Dean and then," Lane sighed dramatically as if she were laying out the twisted and harrowing plot of a soap opera, "he gets his chance. You tell him you have broken up with dean, possibly signaling a want to start something he has made very clear to you he wants to start--"

"but I didn't want to signal anything, he just asked about dean and I told him," Rory protested.

Lane hushed her and continued clearly soaking up the role of interpreter, "sssh, that's beside the point. Okay so here's Tristan thinking things are finally going his way and one day you fight with his girlfriend--"

"she wasn't his girlfriend," Rory interjected but silenced herself when Lane gave her a death look reminiscent of Mrs. Kim.

"You let yourself be taken into an empty classroom, you flirt," Lane said ignoring Rory's look of indignation, "and then you drop the bomb. You don't want to date him, you want him to make it possible for you to date every guy at Chilton besides him. Then you, not content to leave the poor boy merely wounded but out for a kill, tell him there's no chance, ever, of anything happening between the two of you. WHAM! Talk about crushing hope. He offers himself to you, he acknowledges what has been going on between the two of you, something you have remained stubbornly oblivious to even though it's so obvious I sense the tension all the way back in Stars Hollow, and you leave him alone in the classroom. To me, and again only my humble opinion, that sends a pretty clear message of get out."

Rory looked slightly dumbfounded as Lane winded down from her grand conclusion and couldn't exactly think of what to say in return.

The next day, waiting at the bus stop to go home from school, Rory still hadn't formulated a response to Lane's interpretation of events, not that it mattered, Tristan still made no appearance anywhere. Chester Manning, however, was towering above her. She shielded her eyes from the sun and squinted up at him, making out his words.

"Hey Mary."

Rory groaned inwardly. It was bad enough when Tristan called her that but to have other guys simply pick it up and think they could too really annoyed her.

"It's Rory," She responded gruffly.

Chester sat down next to her on the bench, much too close for her own comfort.

"I know," He grinned at her, "I was just kidding. Man, it must have been annoying to have Dugrey call you that all the time."

Rory responded to his comment with a lackluster, "mhm," and attempted to put a little more room between her and him by sidling a bit to the right.

"Dugrey can be a real asshole," and at this point Chester looked right into Rory's eyes, "he's not sensitive."

Rory rolled her eyes at how thick he was laying it on.

"Oh and I bet you are?"

Chester nodded affirmatively, the sarcasm in her statement obviously escaping him.

He seemed to take Rory's lack of response as an agreement of how sensitive a person he was and he slung his arm around her shoulder.

"Plus I bet you aren't really that virginal. I see a real bad girl in you," he leered.

Rory removed his arm and said, "oh you do, do you? That's real clever of you to catch on like that."

Chester was undeterred by her obvious disdain and lack of interest and so he forged on.

"Yeah you just need the right guy"

"and I suppose you are him?" Rory said incredulously.

Chester seemed to take this as an invitation and he leaned in and gave Rory one of the most awful kisses of her life.

She stood up immediately, "what the hell do you think you are doing? Other that mauling my face of course."

Chester grinned cockily at her, strange how some boys could pull that off but Chester was not one of them, and said, "oh c'mon, you know you wanted it."

Rory turned to walk away but before she left, she said contemptuously, "you're deluded."

Chester's face clouded with anger and he grabbed her wrist preventing her from leaving.

"Let go," Rory said.

Chester stood up, still gripping her wrist in his meaty hands, and smiled sinisterly down at her, "hey I'm just getting to know you."

Rory glared at him, "I'm not interested ,thanks."

Rory's wrist was beginning to chafe under Chester's strong grip; he noticed this and said pointedly, "you know this could be fun. I bet Dugrey had a lot of fun with you. You don't have to be so unfriendly."

"You jackass," Rory tried to pound him with her other hand, "let go of me."

Chester grabbed that hand too and now kept them both behind her back, his arms encircling her waist.

"Now that's not very nice," he growled and began to lean in despite Rory struggling desperately to break his grasp.

She looked around frantically for anyone but sadly the parking lot was deserted as most of the kid had already driven home but just then she saw him striding powerfully to his black Mercedes.

"TRISTAN," She screamed as loud as she could before Chester tightened his grip on her, causing her to lose focus because of the shooting pain.

"You shut the hell up or I'm going to make this a lot worse for you," he whispered in her ear.

Tristan had paused in his walk and flicked a glance over at them. Rory was so glad to see him, she was sure he would come and help her. Wildly her mind realized he was not coming and she imagined what this might look like from across the parking lot. Her in the arms of some boy.

Chester, determined to flee the scene, began to yank her farther away from the school.

"Tristan, please," Rory screamed and she realized desperately there was no way Tristan could mistake her need. He just hated her that much that he wasn't going to do anything.

And just when she felt tears pricking her eyes, she saw a figure running extremely fast until he cut them off from the road out of the school's campus.

Rory breathed heavily in relief as she saw Tristan Dugrey standing in front of them.

"Manning, you dick, let go of her," he said quietly. But Rory could see how his words scared the hulk who had yet to relinquish her.

Chester looked down at her disdainfully and roughly dropped her arms, "whatever Dugrey. You can have her," he said this lightheartedly as if Rory and him had been engaging in a friendly tickling match, "she practically threw herself at him anyway and tell you what, I'm done with her now. So go ahead from me to you," and with that he began to stride to his car and got in a drove off.

Rory stood in shock for a second, staring down at her bruised wrists. Lilac circled her thin wrists where his fingers had been.

Tristan walked to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Feeling the warmth exude from his body, Rory launched herself at him, crying heavily.

Tristan held her while she pulled herself together.

Rory stepped back and wiped her streaming face. She took a deep breathe and started, "what he said. That wasn't true. I was just sitting there waiting and he came up. I had never even talked to him before--"

Tristan cut her off, motioning with his hand, as if knocking her words out of the air, "that's none of my business Rory."

Rory's heart sank when she realized he was still angry with her.

"Tristan, please believe me," she said feeling that it was so incredibly important for him to believe her.

He looked at her coldly, no longer the gallant figure who rescued her but rather a hard and distant man, and said, "why Rory? It doesn't matter whether I believe you or not. You've made it painfully obvious to everyone that you don't owe me anything."

Rory felt the tears coming again but she blinked them back. She would not let him make her cry. She attempted to straighten her mussed blazer and said evenly, "fine, if that's the way you feel."

Tristan didn't say anything and then, "you missed your bus. Do you need a ride home?"

"I don't want to trouble you. You can leave," Rory answered coldly.

Tristan laughed hollowly, "what and have you hate me for that too?"

"I don't hate you," she responded slowly.

Tristan shook his head, refusing to acknowledge her statement, and motioned to his car.

He started walking and then turned around and said calmly, "you coming or not?"

Rory felt her stubborn streak reel against the idea of letting him do her a favor with the way he was acting but she also really didn't want to be left alone in the darkening parking lot.

She didn't answer but instead began walking swiftly behind him.

The ride was spent in silence, she didn't offer directions and he didn't ask. Pulling up to her house Rory reached for the door but stalled herself when she heard Tristan's voice.

"I do owe you an apology," he began, "the thing with Manning back there. It probably had a lot more to do with me than you. I have a reputation around that school and all the guys know you were the one I couldn't get," he said with a grimace on his face, "so when I essentially told them I was done with you, I think it became a sort of game with them. Those guys are real asses who would like nothing better than to get the girl I couldn't. So sorry," he finished hastily.

Rory looked at him carefully avoiding her eyes.

She could tell that he was telling her this because of his conscience yet he clearly didn't want to talk about what had happened between the two of them.

Apparently he really meant what he said about being done with her.

Rory felt one tear slip down her face as she sat and looked at his hardened face. She would probably never hold a conversation with him again and even if he did manage to forget his promise and talk to her for a second some time it would never be the same.

She swallowed audibly and said quickly, "thank you for bringing me home."

She opened her door and hesitated, feeling like this was her last chance to get through to him.

"Tristan, I… I'm sorry about what happened between us. And I want to tell you, not that you would feel the same, but I think I really care--"

And at that exact moment Lorelai bounded out of the house, her face showing her obvious worry and relief at seeing her daughter who was coming home two hours later than usual, and shouted, "Rory, babe, what happened?"

The moment in the car was broken and Tristan said quietly, "you were saying?"

Rory shifted uncomfortably and sighed, seemingly convincing herself that nothing she could do would get Tristan to forgive her and replied, "nothing."

She slid out of the car quickly and ran to her mom, hugging her tightly, while Tristan watched before driving away.


	4. Chapter 4

Although Rory certainly hadn't come to terms with Lane's dramatic view of fated love between her and Tristan, she did note, with a slight lump in her throat, that she missed seeing him on a daily basis. Tristan, for all his innuendos and sly remarks, had been the closest thing she had to a friend at Chilton unless Paris was counted, and Rory wasn't really sure how much she could fudge the line between mortal enemy and friend to make herself feel less lonely. A few days after this revelation Rory had begun hatching.

"I'm going to do something," She told her best friend.

"Oh my god, you are going to get together with Tristan!" Lane squealed excitedly.

"No no," Rory said emphatically, "but I'm going to end this cold war between us. I mean I want to be friends."

Lane looked at her slyly and with a nudge of an elbow and a slight drawl said, "sure, friends."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Lane, I just want to be friend with him. Just friends."

"With who?" Lorelai cut in, just arriving to the early breakfast scene at Luke's.

Lane turned to Lorelai excitedly and with the air of a messenger with juicy news said, "Rory's going to fix things between her and Tristan."

Lorelai snatched a bit of Rory's muffin and nodded approvingly.

"Good, that boy's gorgeous," she continued despite Rory's look of protest, "If I were sixteen again…and not pregnant mind you I would…"

"MOM, that is so unnecessary"

There was a wicked gleam in Lorelai's eye as she leaned in and said in her naughty voice, "I would be happy to make up with that boy. Very happy."

"Amen," Lane said.

Rory cleared her throat and said authoritatively, "Alright peanut gallery, news bulletin:"

"but you're not Walter Cronkite," Lorelai threw in.

"ahem," Rory forged on, "Tristan and I aren't even friends. I hope to fix that but that's all…I'm not looking for a boyfriend in him at all."

"but why not?" Lorelai shot back quickly.

"Because…" Rory stalled, "of so many reasons."

"like?" Lane prompted.

"like …that fact he can be a complete jerk."

"eeerr," Lorelai intoned, imitating the wrong answer sound found on many game shows.

Rory looked at her crossly and said, "what, you don't think that's a good reason not to date someone? Personality is just a insignificant detail?"

"Hun, obviously you can't mind his personality that much if you want to be his friend. Or do you usually go out of your way to make jerks forgive you?"

Rory furrowed her brow and chose to escape answering by taking a very long sip of coffee.

Lorelai and Lane exchanged knowing looks that only served to infuriate Rory more.

"Look babe, all we are saying is that the guy obviously liked you and probably could be convinced to do so again, you like him enough to want to be his friend and you feel bad that's he's angry with you. And you are, for once in your short life, not engaged in a marriage-like relationship so it seems like now's a good time to start something…fun. You shouldn't necessarily disqualify Tristan just because he's tall, rich, blonde, and insanely hot," Lorelai finished with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Lane nodded quickly in consent, "besides what have you got to lose?"

Pride, I could lose serious pride. He could humiliate me in front all these people at school, give Paris fuel to ridicule me for weeks, and make me feel absolutely awful. That's what I could lose, Rory thought as she contemplated seeking out Tristan to talk. Rory had yet to see him but she knew he ate lunch in the courtyard everyday. As much as she wanted to make peace with Tristan she couldn't imagine herself making the long walk outside to go up to him while he was surrounded by cronies at his table. Nope, that was definitely not happening.

I'll just have to find another way, she thought.

Later in English class, a class she did share with Tristan even if he had changed seats to the opposite end of the room, an idea formed slowly while she attempted to subtly eavesdrop on what her teacher, Mrs. Pagley, was telling a very uninterested looking Tristan Dugrey.

She heard key word, "failing" and quickly pieced together the situation: Tristan's grade in English was sorely lacking. Not that he seemed to care, but then Rory noted, his expression turned much more serious after Mrs. Pagley threw in the idea of bringing his father in for a meeting. The bell rang and class ended. Rory stayed behind, wheels in her mind churning.

"Uh, Mrs. Pagley, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second?"

"yes Rory," and she smiled at her with the affection that teachers reserve for their brightest students.

Rory hoped this would go over well.

"Well I didn't know if you knew but I'm applying to Harvard," Rory began.

"Good school but then again you have top grades," Mrs. Pagley said jovially.

"Yeah," and Rory tried to look a bit daunted, "but my extracurricular could use some work."

"Ah," the teacher commiserated with a motherly look, "it's hard to fit in activities with such a rigorous schedule."

"yeah, well I was just wondering if you might have any suggestions …I don't know. I was thinking maybe I could tutor a bit and I didn't know if you knew anyone…" Rory trailed off hopefully.

The teacher looked as she was scanning her mind while Rory held her breathe in anticipation and then, "Oh, you know what Rory? I do have a suggestion," the woman said happily, obviously glad to help.

"Really?" Rory answered keeping an even tone.

"Yes, one of your fellow classmates needs some help and I wasn't sure what I was going to do. He shows such promise, I didn't want to fail him. I was going to bring his parents in but I think maybe this would be better. I tell you what, I'll give him say until the end of the quarter to make up his missing work and start improving his performance with your help and if he doesn't get better well then… I'll bring in his parents."

Rory tried not to look too thrilled.

"You think he'd agree to that?"

Mrs. Pagley wrinkled her brow and said with a confidential air, "oh yes. I'm pretty sure he'll prefer this to involving his father. I've had to deal with the boy's family on other occasions and," and then as if catching herself she stopped and said, "yes, I think this will work out just fine dear."

Rory felt a bit bad for Tristan. It was obvious he had a bad relationship with his father.

"Oh well thanks for your help."

"No problem, anything for the top of the class. Hm, today's Monday so how about I have Tristan meet you in the library after school on Wednesday?"

Rory submerged a grin, "sure that would be fine."

Lack of trory action but it's coming along.

Reviews are wonderful forms of encouragement.


	5. Chapter 5

Rory sat idly drumming her fingers on the library table as she wondered if Tristan would show up. She had already been waiting for fifteen minutes later than their planned starting time. She decided she would count to five and if he wasn't there she would just accept that he would rather face a 'F' and a conference with his father than an afternoon with her.

One one thousandth, two one thousandth, three one thousandth, oh.

There he was and Rory struggled with herself not to stare as he scanned the library impatiently.

_Look down, look down dammit, she told herself urgently but her eyes were drawn to him like a magnet. _

And then like a train wreck their gazes collided, hers desperately trying not to seem eager and his unreadable as the sea which shared his eye color.

Rory willed herself to break their exchange and look down at the neatly stacked books beside her. Tristan walked slowly to their table, weaving between groups of people, brushing off their greetings.

He stopped in front of Rory but didn't say anything and instead gave her a measuring look.

"Hey," she said quietly.

He sat, shifted in his chair until apparently reaching comfort and replied curtly, "hey."

Rory sighed, obviously Tristan wasn't exactly happy about their new study arrangement.

"Well," she began fidgeting with strands of her hair as she spoke, "I guess we should get started."

Tristan quirked an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. Rory thought to herself that she would probably be more comfortable if he had chosen to inject some innuendo there.

Deep breathe.

"Okay, well did you our last assignment?"

"Usually not doing the work come within the territory of failing a class," Tristan snapped.

"ookay," Rory said uneasily, "well I'm going to go look in the stacks for the books I used for it and you can just …sit there I guess," she trailed off miserably.

_What was I thinking? He obviously does not want to be here spending any time with me. Why did I think this would work? Rory wandered to herself glumly as she scanned the bookshelf._

She grabbed a familiar looking text listlessly and rallied herself before turning to walk back to the table.

She, however, had not prepared herself for Tristan to be standing right behind her, leaning against the opposite wall of shelves.

"Ahhh," Rory gasped breaking the library's quiet.

She then blushed immediately and said hastily, "I didn't hear you walk over."

Tristan shrugged, as if dismissing the comment, and responded, "why are you doing this?"

Rory's gaze shifted to the book in her hand and she responded lightly, she hoped, "I needed extra credit and Mrs. Pagley suggested it."

Tristan voice came back fast but not rushed, "she said it was your idea."

Rory's cheeks tinged with a blush and she met his gaze indignantly, "it was my idea to get extra credit …I had no idea you were who I would tutor," she whispered back furiously.

Tristan's face didn't register any reaction but instead he asked, "why would the classes' top student need extra credit?"

Rory mind blanched but then she quickly responded, "if you really must know I didn't do well on our last test. And I don't want it pulling down my GPA. Okay? Now can we go back to work?"

Rory turned to walk back to the table and but Tristan caught her arm, pulling her back into the isle with him.

"Tristan," she whispered warningly yanking back her arm from his hand.

"Pagley said you wanted more extra curriculars."

"So?"

"So," he said as if he was unraveling a detective case, "you said you needed extra credit."

Rory blinked up at him, she couldn't believe this was happening.

"Well…" she began, "I needed both alright? What's your problem anyway?"

Tristan glared at her fiercely, "Jesus Rory, why can't you ever be straight with me?"

Rory swallowed slowly, "what do you mean?"

Tristan took a step closer to her, ignoring the looks their carried voices had attracted from other studiers, "I mean, you are so afraid to admit the truth."

"what truth?" her voice cracking over the last word.

"that you arranged this all. That you don't need extra credit. That you have been lying about your feelings for me this whole time."

"I.." Rory stammered, unable to think while his face was just inches away from her own and his eyes were trained on hers.

Rory had never seen anyone look so disgusted with her before.

Tristan sneered, "far be it for perfect little Rory to admit that she might actually like evil despicable me. I almost forgot Rory…you couldn't possibly like me. You are too good for me, right?"

Rory shook her head in disagreement motionlessly.

"Really?" Tristan gave her an ugly look, "because that's how you act. I try and reach out to you and you run away again and again. And now," his voice rising in anger, "you arrange all this to get me here, I show up, and you still can't just admit what you want. I don't know if it's because you are afraid of what I'll say back or you are just disgusted with yourself for condescending to have feelings for someone who is below your standards, something you make painfully clear in our every encounter or what but it's getting ridiculous."

Rory couldn't even begin to respond. Her throat felt painfully dry and she hated the way he was looking at her and twisting all her intentions.

Tristan leaned down and whispered into her ear, "you know what, Mary, maybe you should be nervous about what I'd say back. I bet you thought if you ever did finally tell me the truth I would be bowled over. I would beg for redemption and hope for forgiveness for everything I've done up until now."

He stared down into her eyes. Two unblinking sets of pure blue glared at each other.

"Don't flatter yourself Mary. You are just another girl …not my priest and certainly not the girl I'm going to change for."

Rory had been silent until now, really just feeling awful about how Tristan viewed her. Feeling guilty about how her treatment of him had been perceived but then he had to get so ugly about it. So completely and unnecessarily mean, even if they were never going to be anything she had still thought he had some consideration for her feelings. Rory was a sensitive girl, she hated the idea of making someone else feel bad and she always felt guilty for the smallest of trespasses. But one thing she did not take well was humiliation. She would not allow Tristan Dugrey to humiliate her.

Her chin flew up and she shot back, "How about you stop flattering yourself for a second? You really think that if I wanted a relationship I would come to you? No way in hell." Rory stepped back and stared into Tristan's cloudy eyes.

"I just got out of a relationship, a real one-one that would put any of yours to shame, and the last thing I'm looking for is another one. And don't worry Tristan, you would be the last person I would consider for anything meaningful."

"so why are you here?" Tristan said in a low challenging tone.

Rory made sure to maintain eye contact and she answered in a mean tone, "I was looking for some fun. Something completely meaningless. And hey, you're the guy to see for all things empty and shallow right? So don't worry, Tristan, I was far from hoping to make you my boyfriend…I just figured you'd be used to interaction that means nothing to everyone involved."

Tristan's face steeled against her words but Rory could see the hurt in his features. It stained his eyes but then in the next second he had submerged all real feelings under his carefully constructed façade.

"You sure you can handle no strings Mary?"

"I'm not a Mary anymore and do me a favor and don't get attached. I won't."

With that Rory turned and stalked out of the library, leaving Tristan and their study plans behind.

Sitting on the bus she quietly reflected on how she had just agreed to be Tristan's next fling, his lip lock nothing girl.

"So wow…that's just so unlike you. I mean you are the quintessential girlfriend girl," Lane said.

"I know."

"So why'd you do it?"

Rory lifted her head from the pillow it had been resting on.

"You don't understand Lane. You should have seen him. He was so sure of himself and being so cruel about it…I couldn't take it."

"So you are punishing him by hooking up with him?"

"I'm doing it because I know what he wanted to hear. He wants to hear me admit that he was right all along…that I think of us together. I couldn't let him no that he means something to me so I had to prove that he didn't."

"by hooking up?"

"By…seeing him just as he presents himself. And I don't know, Lane, I just had to demean him in some way."

"Well you sure do demean in interesting ways. So you think you can handle that?"

"I have to. I can't let him win."

"But Rory, this isn't a game."

Rory stared at her best friend stubbornly and then nodding her head as if conceding the point she said, "no, it's more like a war."

AN: Perhaps not what you were expecting but i'm hoping this won't be the typical trory. i like my tristan with some backbone. , sorry this has been so slow going but the reviews really do keep me interested!


	6. Chapter 6

Rory was putting her books into her locker when she felt two hands slide around her small waist.

"Hey," Tristan growled into her ear.

Rory felt her heart beat a bit faster as she turned around and sidestepped his embrace casting a quick glance down the busy Chilton hallway.

Tristan's eyes darkened and he said cuttingly, "you know Mary I never took you for a tease. Having second thoughts?"

Her eyes narrowed at his mean remark and she reminded herself for what seemed like the millionth time that morning that this was not to be a relationship. This was physical and she could not, under any circumstances, let Tristan think she wanted more.

"Actually no," she said coolly, "I just have a reputation to protect, you know."

Tristan moved closer to her, throwing all notions of personal space to the wind.

"I think I could improve your reputation Mary. Gimme ten minutes and you'll be the talk of the school."

Rory rolled her eyes at this and lifted her book bag to her shoulders, "yeah and have Paris start despising me again? I don't think so, this fling isn't worth that." Rory ignored the way Tristan's eyes reacted to her flippant attitude.

She lowered her voice as she saw the holy trio of Paris, Madeline, and Louise approaching and whispered, "so next time find somewhere more private alright? This can't get around the school."

Tristan replied stiffly, "anyway you like it Mary"

"Likes what?" Madeline's bubbly voice interrupted.

Rory felt a trill of panic in her heart, would Tristan spill?

Tristan ignored Madeline's comment and instead gave her a lingering glance that was sure to make any girl forget what they had been talking about.

"Madeline, Louise, Paris you girls are looking spectacular today."

"You're not so bad yourself," Louise replied in her throaty voice.

Tristan gave Rory a sidelong glance before throwing his arm around the lusty blonde and saying, "lets talk a walk."

Louise's eyes widened with pleasure at the sudden attention and said, "sure."

"Whoa, what was that about?" Madeline said watching the pair stroll down the hallway.

_Pissing me off_, thought Rory cattily. _Not that it worked, if Tristan thought he was going to make her jealous he would just have to work a little harder. _

Rory had to remind herself of that a little later when Louise strolled into their third period class a little disheveled but obviously pleased with herself.

Like a cat who ate the canary, Rory thought meanly.

As Rory left that class she saw Tristan leaning at her locker farther down the hallway, watching her watch him.

She began to make her way down there when she heard a voice from behind her calling, "Rory."

She turned to see Henry, her best friend Lane's longtime crush and almost boyfriend.

"Hey Henry," she said warmly.

"Hey, I was wondering how Lane is?"

"She's great but you should ask her yourself,"

The boy grimaced and said, "I think about it but then I break out into cold sweat when I imagine her mother answering the phone."

Rory laughed and replied, "well yeah Mrs. Kim is pretty terrifying."

"well I had a question for you," Henry began leaning a little closer as if he was afraid Mrs. Kim would pop out and hear his queries about her daughter, "I made Lane a mix cd…"

"Oh Henry, Lane will love that."

"Well that's what I'm hoping but I was wondering if you could take a glance over the songs I chose…you know how lane is about music and I could totally see her reading into it if she wasn't pleased with the selection."

Rory laughed again at his concerns, although they were probably true.

"Sure, I'd be happy to."

"Okay thanks," Henry said enthusiastically and handed her the cd case.

"Okay bye," Rory said turning back down the hallway but then turning back when Henry caught her arm again.

"Um, tell Lane I said hi okay?" He asked looking adorably shy.

Rory promised she would and felt really happy for her best friend to have a guy like that who was obviously crazy about her. She looked back at her locker and noted the only guy currently in her life obviously didn't have the time to wait for her.

Rory decided to forgo the cafeteria that day, she didn't really feel like hearing Louise dish out juicy details about her morning or watch Tristan surrounded by his doting court, so instead she made her way to the library.

Suddenly a hand reached out and pulled her into an empty storage room. Rory wasn't the least surprised when, after her eyes had adjusted to the dark lighting, she looked up into the cool blue eyes of Tristan Dugrey.

"Come here often," she joked, giggling with nerves. Tristan didn't respond and Rory bit down on her lip to make herself stop giggling. She hated that she did that when she was nervous.

"Who was that guy?"

Her eyes widened with surprise, "What guy?"

"The one you were flirting with in the hallway," Tristan replied bitterly.

"Henry? oh no…" and then Rory stopped herself, remembering that she wasn't under any obligation to explain herself to Tristan and plus it couldn't hurt for him to think she had other prospects, "why do you ask?"

Tristan jerked at his tie impatiently, "why do you think I ask Rory?" he said mocking her formal tone.

"Well honestly I'm not sure, I wasn't aware that I was under the obligation to report any interaction with the male species I had…would you care to explain about Louise this morning?"

Tristan had the decency to look a little sheepish and then he started, "about Louise-

"Tristan you don't have to explain anything to me," Rory said quickly hoping to spare herself any details.

Tristan responded to her curt tone and snapped back, "fine."

Rory sighed at the way they couldn't seem to be together for a few minutes without fighting and she said quietly, "okay I guess I'm going to go."

She started to turn when she heard Tristan's low voice in the dark, "Rory wait."

She turned back to him and said jokingly, "So I'm Rory now, huh? I was just getting used to Mary"

Tristan smirked at her wickedly and said, "don't get too used to it now that you're with me."

"Tristan," she said exasperatedly and lightly smacked his chest. Her hand rested there for a second's pause before she removed it and placed it back by her side.

The energy between the two was palpable and yet neither were making a move.

Rory forced herself to look up at Tristan and noticed he was smirking at her discomfort.

That bastard, she thought and decided to throw him off guard.

Without a second's notice she captured his mouth in a kiss and Rory could feel his surprise at her making the first move. However he quickly snapped to it and Rory felt like somehow the power balance had just shifted in his favor: the janitor's closet, making out in the dark…this was so far in his territory that Rory was close to asking for a map.

The kiss had started out hesitantly but it was fast becoming more and more involved.

Tristan lightly bit her bottom lip causing Rory to gasp a little, allowing more access for his tongue. Rory felt like her knees were going to give out, she had never been kissed like this before. Tristan broke off contact suddenly and Rory felt her body react with swift disappointment at the lose of touch. Tristan smirked down at her, obviously accustomed to this reaction from girls. He began lightly trailing kisses down her neck slowing pausing at where her skin met her blazer's collar. A quick second of adept button undoing and the coat was shrugged to the floor. Tristan made use of this easier access by slowly suckling at the junction of her neck and collar bone.

Rory gasped. He loved hearing her reactions, it turned him on like nothing could.

"Tristan what are you doing?" She said timidly.

He smirked into her skin before replying, "leaving my signature."

Satisfied that she would have something to remember this by tomorrow he raised his end up again and crushed her lips with her own. Rory's hands flew from the buttons on his shirt to sweeping down his back before tangling themselves in his hair. She had always had the urge to run her fingers through his choppy blond locks and finally had the chance.

The bell rang, startling both of the teens. Tristan let go of her slowly and rested against the door of the closet. Rory attempted to smooth down her shirt and grabbed her blazer from the floor.

Tristan watched her struggle to make her hair lie flat with amusement. He had never looked at her so genuinely happy before she noted.

A contemplative silence lay between them and before she thought about it she broke it with, "do you want to leave first or me?"

"what?"

"we can't leave together Tristan."

"C'mon Rory," he said and took her hand in his slowly tracing circles in her palm, "would it be so bad if people saw us together?"

Rory tried to ignore the feeling she got when he touched her and answered evenly, "yes."

Tristan dropped her hands and let out a short breathe of frustration. "Fine," he said before swiftly exiting the closet leaving Rory in the dark.


	7. Chapter 7

"Rory, I need to talk to you," Tristan said when he spotted her standing in the English room talking about the Franklin with Paris.

"I'm busy right now, Tristan," she replied immediately still looking down at the papers in her hands.

"This is important," he insisted.

Paris glanced up from the layout on the desk to cast a suspicious look between the two of them.

Rory shot him a warning glance from the corner of her eye. He wasn't supposed to do this. They were supposed to be anything in the public's eye.

"Look bible boy, I don't have time for any inane banter right now," Rory said coldly.

Tristan swallowed slowly, he was really tiring of this act.

He grabbed Rory's arm and hustled her outside of the room, leaving a wide eyed Paris in their wake.

"Tristan! What the hell are you doing?" She whispered while glaring daggers at him.

Tristan sighed angrily and said, "I told myself I wouldn't be the first to cave. But I'm sick of this not talking to each other in public bit…I would like to be able to talk to you Rory."

She sighed exasperatedly, "Tristan, we can't let people catch on."

He ran a hand through his hair frustrated and said louder than she would have liked, "why not?"

"because."

"But why? What would be so bad about it? I mean, Rory, I don't think you get it. I really like you. I would like to be more than what I am to you."

Rory shook her head mutely.

"Stop it, Tristan. You don't mean what you're saying."

Tristan grabbed her and pulled her close so that they were practically nose to nose. His eyes stared down at her with a gaze so fierce she felt a pounding in her heart and head.

"I mean it Rory. You know I mean it."

Rory replied weakly, "you'll get bored. There will be another girl…"

"There is no other girl, Rory."

She steeled herself against his gaze and replied, "well find one then," before walking back into the classroom.

Tristan didn't return to this room that day. However, Rory found him waiting for her by her locker at the end of the day. Waiting with a petite brunette by his side.

"Rory," he greeted her civilly as if this morning hadn't happened, "I'd like you to meet Cassidy. She's a sophomore, just transferred in."

"Oh."

The girl smiled genuinely at Rory, seemingly happy to meet her.

"Hi, it's really nice to meet you. Tristan has said some great things about you."

"oh really?" Rory replied archly.

Cassidy's smile faltered a little and she replied, "well…just the few things he's told me have been really great. He said you guys are really good friends."

"Yeah, we are right Rory?" Tristan cut in with a hint of irony in his tone.

"Yeah," she replied without a trace of humor in her voice.

Tristan continued smiling down peacefully at her and then continued, "yeah I ran into Cassidy while I was actually leaving school. She was having car trouble."

"Yeah, Tristan was really nice and gave me a lift. And helped me explain why I was so late. I was considering changing my whole mind about coming here…I mean imagine showing up late on the first day."

"Rory once showed up late to her English exam," Tristan added conversationally.

"Oh, that's awful." Cassidy wrinkled her brow sympathetically.

Rory felt like she was going to wretch with all these niceties being passed around.

"Yeah and then I got kicked out of class for screaming at this asshole. Not the best day."

"Yeah, I remember that. Poor guy," Tristan said jovially.

Rory met his eyes for a brief second and then replied airily, "he had it coming. You know Cassidy," turning to the girl, "you should really watch out for the guys around here. They can be real bastards."

The girl laughed uncomfortably at Rory's serious tone and then replied, "yeah, Tristan was telling me to watch out for them-"

"how ironic," Rory shrilled.

"Not really," Tristan replied evenly.

Cassidy looked between them a bit confused and then said, "well, I should go to catch the bus."

"I'll drive you home," Tristan replied automatically still looking into Rory's eyes.

"Oh you don't have to do that," Cassidy replied quickly.

"I insist," Tristan said with a gentlemanly air.

"Yeah, and he doesn't take no for an answer," Rory sniped earning another confused look from Cassidy.

"Why don't you start walking out and I'll meet you by the front," Tristan told Cassidy easily, "I have to get some notes from someone."

"okay, well it was nice meeting you Rory," the girl said politely.

Rory responded with a quick jerk of her head and nothing more.

"That wasn't very polite, Mary" Tristan goaded.

"Well, Tristan I figure you'll fuck her and then be done with her…I'll probably never see her again so excuse me if I don't pull out the welcome wagon."

"she's not like that," Tristan replied knowingly.

Rory rolled her eyes and snapped, "please you've known her for what? An hour. How would you know?"

Tristan leaned in and said challengingly, "sometimes you just get a feeling about people. She reminds me of you before you turned into such a bitch."

Rory felt like she had just been slapped but she quickly submerged her reaction.

"Go to hell Tristan."

"Now now Rory. You told me to find another girl."

She jabbed him hard in the shoulder with her finger and said furiously, "that's right. So don't for one second think you are going to make me jealous with your new bimbo."

Tristan rocked back on his heels and said reproachfully, "she's not a bimbo, Rory. She's nice. She was happy to meet you. I think you'd see that if you were acting so insanely catty about this. I think you'd like her."

Rory snorted, "spare me the genuine crap…I know what you look for in girls. A smiley personality and a nice body."

"So what do I see in you?"

"You jerk…" she sputtered.

Tristan shrugged and said quietly, "this is how you wanted it remember? You wouldn't let us progress."

"so what… this is how we act as friends?'

"Rory…you wouldn't let us be friends. You wouldn't let me be anything to you but a faceless body in a closet."

"like you were so opposed," she spat out.

Tristan shrugged again, this time laden with resignation, "what can I say. I took what I could get from you. I just wish you would've let me spend some time with you that didn't involve sucking face."

Rory felt herself sliding quickly into a place she had sworn she wouldn't go. She was not going to let him watch her fall. She straightened herself and said nastily, "whatever, she's waiting for you by your car and why the hell are you carrying around _Anna Karenina_anyway?" she asked just noticing the heavy text in his hand, "last time I checked you were failing English."

Tristan smiled at her slowly, " it's Cassidy's. She brought it to read on the bus. Bye Rory, have a nice afternoon."

-

"Well of course you're bothered. I mean within a short afternoon he already met someone," Lane said sympathetically after listening to Rory rant for an hour or so.

"But it's not just that," Rory said tugging at the cuffs of her blazer, "it's…I don't know. I mean I knew he could get girls like that, he always has. And I'm the one who told him to find someone else…but something about this girl just really…ugh"

"Could it be," Lane started delicately, "that she's not like the others?"

Rory gave her a confused look.

"I mean, just from what you described her as. Well, she doesn't sound really snobby like summer-"

"She wasn't…she was nice," Rory said.

"Or trampy like all the others…and you mentioned _Anna Karenina_, which means she's smart. So maybe…she reminds you a little of you?"

Rory sighed, "I don't know Lane. I just met the girl."

"But did you like her?"

Rory sent out another confused look.

"Okay well besides her being with Tristan which automatically would get her your dislike ..what was your gut feeling about the girl?"

Rory answered hesitantly, "she seemed…nice. Really nice."

"Well, maybe you are afraid she'll really mean something to him…"

Lane stopped herself there but Rory could her unfinished thought hanging in the air.

Perhaps Cassidy would mean something to Tristan…just like Rory used to.


	8. Chapter 8

Rory hadn't seen Tristan all week. Well sure she had seen him…but she sure as hell hadn't _seen _him. Like she had been before Cassidy Sanders had showed up. The girl appeared everywhere Tristan was, it seemed. The more annoying part was the way Tristan acted. The way the two of them acted. Like friends…like really, really good friends. They didn't even make out in public for Christ's sake. She ate lunch with his friends and they seemed to have taken to the girl. Tristan didn't appear to be flaunting her in anyway…more protective. Rory was becoming more and more uptight. Not only did she miss Tristan, she missed the feel of his hands sliding down her back, his lips on her neck, and god. She could really use something to help get rid of the stress of midterms, she thought to herself.

_And there's the happy couple now_, Rory noted.

"Hey guys," Rory said pleasantly. Well as pleasantly as she could manage.

"Hi Rory," Cassidy said smiling at her.

"Rory," Tristan said in greeting.

There was a slight pause and Rory flushed.

"Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt," she said awkwardly.

"Oh no, you aren't," Cassidy said friendly enough, "we were just talking about this weekend."

"Got any hot plans Mary?" Tristan said, joining the conversation.

"Not really," She answered lightly, secretly pleased with the use of the nickname. It was like a line to their past. She almost hoped Cassidy would pick up on it and ask …just so she could explain, kindly of course, that it was an inside joke between them.

No such luck though.

Cassidy forged on, "we were thinking of going to Madeline's party. I've yet to experience a Chilton party. What's your opinion of them?"

Rory answered slowly, "well…they aren't really my thing," she made sure to make eye contact with Tristan, "I usually bring a book to read. But sometimes interesting things can happen."

She hoped he would think of the last Chilton party Rory had attended, also in Madeline's house. She hoped he would think of the piano and the kiss.

Tristan didn't really react at all. His eyes were completely unreadable.

"A book that's so funny," Cassidy giggled.

"I would call it odd," Tristan said quietly. Their eyes met.

"_You are very odd, you know that?"_

So he did remember.


	9. Chapter 9

"So Tristan mentioned that you two were coming to my party on Saturday," Madeline said to Cassidy.

Rory perked her ears and tried not to look like she was listening.

"Oh yeah, should be fun," Cassidy answered.

Louise arched an eyebrow and said, "so what's up with you two anyway? You two together or not?"

Rory noted Cassidy immediately looked like she wished she were elsewhere, but perhaps it was her imagination, because a second later the girl answered easily, "well …we aren't together like a couple…"

Louise snorted and said somewhat condescendingly, "well I know that. Tristan doesn't do couples…but you two are doing it right?"

Cassidy flushed and answered, "no. I mean…I don't think I would until we were together together. I'd just feel weird about hooking up like that without a commitment."

"well don't hold your breathe," Louise said before sweeping away, Madeline in tow.

-

"Rory, you coming to my party?" Madeline asked her cheerfully.

"I'm not sure."

"Rory," Louise said authoritatively, "you must. Now is the time."

Madeline nodded excitedly.

"what do you mean?" Rory asked slowly.

"Cassidy and Tristan aren't having sex!" Madeline announced enthusiastically.

Rory gave the pair a blank stare and after a significant pause asked, "so..?"

Louise rolled her eyes. "So, now the time to make your move and get him back."

"What? I …I don't want Tristan back. And it's not even back. Tristan and I were…"

"just friends," Madeline and Louise mouthed at the same time.

"Rory, c'mon," Louise said, "you really thought with Madeline's nose for gossip we wouldn't find out about you two."

Rory didn't answer. Her mind working furiously on her next denial.

"I knew since the beginning. Well, like two days after you two started shacking up," Madeline crowed proudly.

Rory looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening and whispered fiercely, "we were not shacking up."

"Rory, denial is so late year. Besides it's not embarrassing …Tristan' s hot. You should be proud." Louise said knowingly.

Rory sighed. "Why didn't you guys tell anyone?"

Louise motioned to Madeline quickly with her eyes and said, "she thought it was sweet. And I figured since you and Paris were doing better there wasn't really a point."

"Thank you," Rory said sincerely.

The blonde shrugged of her thanks, clearly not wanting to make a big thing out of it.

"Anyway," Louise continued, "you must come to party and seduce Tristan away from that girl."

Rory made a noise of disbelief, "I'm not exactly the seducing type."

"Pulease, Tristan has always been hot for you. And it shouldn't be hard considering he's not getting any," Louise said wickedly.

"why do you guys care?" Rory asked bluntly.

"Well we're friends right?" Louise said airily.

Rory cocked an eyebrow. She thought of all the times the pair of them had helped Paris in making her life miserable. She wasn't sure she would call them friends…

The girls seemed to be reading her thoughts and both had the decency to look sheepish for a second.

Louise, not one for dwelling in guilt, said quickly, "well. We also think it's ridiculous for a legend at Chilton to be dating a mere sophomore."

Rory smirked, they would be the type to care about something like that.

"I still don't know…" She said hesitantly.

"Come over to Madeline's house beforehand, we'll get you dressed up and everything. Chickening out is not an option." Louise said squashing Rory's complaints.

The pair of them strode off.

Rory shook her head wearily and wondered what she had gotten herself into.

-

Early Saturday evening, Rory stood outside Madeline's impressive house and wondered if she was really up to go through with this.

Before she had actually decided, the large oak door swung open and Louise and Madeline tugged her inside enthusiastically.

"Tristan will eat his heart out," Louise said happily.

Rory looked at herself in the mirror, unsure of her own reaction. An hour had passed of Rory vetoing all things sparkly, see through, and leather. The girls had finally narrowed down to what Rory had on.

She looked over her reflection.

She was in a black dress that floated down to mid thigh. It had an empire waist that hugged her curves nicely but then fabric came down loosely, swirling in loose folds about her legs, adding a touch of elegance. The neckline was a deep scoop, exposing more skin than Rory usually would, not to mention the fact that Louise had adamantly insisted on her wearing a strapless bra that made push up seem like an understatement. Normally, Rory would have been nervous about looking tacky but something about this dress made her feel very feminine and divine. Madeline had pulled it from her mother's closet and described it as, "insanely vintage." The silky fabric gave off a musky aroma which made Rory think of 1920's cocktail parties. Rory was in Madeline's shoes, black Mary Jane's with a kitten heel. Although the heel was small the combination of the shoes and the short dress, made Rory's legs look fabulously elongated.

While she was looking over her appearance, Louise expertly threw a string of long pearls around her neck. Rory at first thinking they were to grandmotherly for this dress was surprised at how sexy they could be, looping around her neck and slowly curving down the front of her dress.

"Okay we know you love it, now let us do your hair," Madeline said impatiently.

Rory submitted without protest, she had learned that much this afternoon.

Another hour and she was all done, with her hair put into an elegant updo with a few select strands coming down and curving around her face. Louise had added some makeup to her face, but nothing too dramatic. Smoky eyes and glossy lips. Lips that Rory bit nervously in anticipation, "do you think I look too overdressed?"

Both girls turned and gave her a look obviously tired of hearing her concerns.

Rory continued to worry but this time in silence.

Louise excited the room quickly and returned with a mischievous look. She handed Rory a shot glass full of clear liquid.

"what's this for?"

"To take the edge of your nerves."

Rory shrugged, figuring not much could hurt now, and downed it. Her throat burned and she made a gasping noise.

Madeline and Louise giggled. "still the same old Mary."

Two more cups of "punch" and Rory was actually feeling eager to see Tristan. The other guys at the party were having enthusiastic responses to her new look and she couldn't help but let that bolster her confidence.

"Pssst, sighted at the front door," Madeline hissed to her, clearly relishing the secrecy of all this.

Rory nodded giddily. She glanced that way and saw both Tristan and Cassidy taking of their coats. She had a pang of fear that this plan wouldn't work as she saw Tristan guide Cassidy to the drink table with his hand on the small of her back and then a pang of guilt when she considered what would happen if it did. Cassidy was nice. Did she really want to try and steal her boyfriend.

_They aren't even together-together_, a voice went of in her head. Rory took a deep breathe and a even deeper sip of the drink in her hand. She had no idea what to do.

Suddenly she noticed Tristan and Cassidy entering the room she was in. She looked frantically for an exit and instead was surprised to see David, one of Tristan's friends approaching her.

"Hey Rory…right?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"I'm David," he said putting out his hand.

"Hi," Rory said shaking it.

"Yeah I just wanted to say," the boy said giving her a sly grin, "you really look great tonight. I mean wow."

Rory blushed and said quickly, "thanks."

To her chagrin, David called, "Tristan, over here!" getting the couple's attention before turning back to Rory.

She fixed her gaze on the floor before slowly looking up…into Tristan Dugrey's very blue eyes.

She saw a look of surprise in his eyes when he took in her appearance.

She straightened under his gaze and reminded herself of why she was here.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi Rory," Cassidy answered for the both of them, "wow. Great dress."

David smiled and said, "nothing compared to the girl in it. So Rory want to dance?"

Rory noticed the way the muscles in Tristan's face tightened as David asked.

She gave the boy a smile and said quickly, "sure. See you guys later."

David took her hand to led her to the crowd of dancers. As she walked by, she brushed against Tristan slightly and caught his eyes for a moment. Rory was happy to note she felt his eyes follow her as she left the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Rory tugged at the hemline of her dress for what seemed like the millionth time. She should have never let Louise talk her into something so short…and ineffective. Tristan Dugrey had not made a move, more than that he had yet to even show any intention of making a move. Rory gritted her teeth with frustration as another slightly inebriated guy leered at her. This was not the attention she had been hoping for. She left the room, slowly giving up on her plan.

The room that Tristan was in was smoky. He had to squint to see his best friend David's face.

"So what's up with the sophomore man?"

"what do you mean?"

"you getting some young ass?" His friend leered unintelligibly.

Tristan smiled slowly, "you're wasted."

After David had passed out for the night, Tristan had decided he was ready to leave. He considered finding Cassidy and checking if she wanted a ride home, something that he felt he should do more than he really wanted to. He looked around the house and then walked outside to see if she was on the patio. Coming down the steps, he came across one Rory Gilmore. She was sitting quietly on the bench placed neatly by the flower bushes that Madeline's family's gardener tended to.

"Hey," Tristan said as he joined her on the bench.

He surprised her; she looked over quickly and then visibly relaxed.

"hey."

"So you were the hit of the party tonight," his tone belying some of the questions he had.

Rory shrugged and briefly considered responding with a quick remark but then settled on honesty, "not with everyone."

She looked at him pointedly.

He shrugged, "you look good. You know that…"

"but?"

Tristan paused for a second as he sensed she wanted a straight answer.

"Seeing you all dressed up like that, surrounded by Chilton people, dancing with the football team doesn't do it for me."

Rory let out a quick breathe. "But seeing me with my hair in braids, reading a book, and eating lunch by myself did?"

Tristan leaned his face in closer to her, their noses were almost touching. "Yeah it did."

Rory sighed again. She seemed utterly confused.

"hey Mary, you know I liked you chaste," Tristan said jokingly.

Rory rolled her eyes in response but not before Tristan saw the hurt that was in them. He realized she was much more upset than she was letting on.

"Hey," he said and he lifted her chin slightly so that she was looking at him, "don't be offended. I just…I guess I don't like to see you faking like the rest of us. You don't look like you tonight and I certainly don't want to be the reason you are pretending to be something else."

Rory closed her eyes for a second and then opened them. She looked somewhat less upset and she gave Tristan a weak smile to signify they were okay.

"Can I ask you why you did it?" Tristan said, testing the silence between them.

Rory looked down at her feet again and then forced herself to look in his eyes. A faint blush tinged her cheeks but in spite of it she didn't look away. "I thought you had it all figured out that I was dressing up for you."  
Tristan smiled. "I got that much…but why?"

"Why do you think?"

Tristan shook his head, "I never really get you Gilmore. First I'm not allowed to talk to you and then it's fine for me to maul you in the supply closest as long as no one sees us. And then I leave you alone like you tell me to and you come to a party all dolled up trying to get my attention."

Rory blushed again and then answered back quickly, accusingly. "You lost interest in me."

Tristan didn't say anything and instead just continued to watch her.

She cleared her throat. "All this time, even when nothing was…something was going on between us. Even my mom and my best friend knew it. And then that day in the classroom, you and I and you wouldn't …I didn't know what to do. You were being insufferable and cocky, and I hated you for it."

Tristan grimaced a little but nodded for Rory to continue.

"So I told you nothing would ever happen between us and I knew I shouldn't have done that because it wasn't true. I knew it wasn't true. Something had already happened between us, I just hadn't realized it yet. And then that awful day with Chester and you were so angry at me. I tried to tell you but you didn't want to hear it so I arranged the English thing to try and talk to you…"

"and I was an ass." Tristan interjected.

"yeah. You were," Rory answered honestly, "but you were sort of justified. So I couldn't let you win and that's how we ended up like we were. It wasn't exactly what I wanted but I was still too afraid to admit what I wanted. And then you lost interest in me and you found someone else and you left me so confused that I let Madeline and Louise remake me."

Rory took a deep breathe after finishing that. She waited with trepidation in her heart, she had never been that honest with Tristan before.

Tristan looked at her slowly. "We are a mess."

Rory regarded him carefully and with a touch of sadness said, "you grew up"

Tristan raised an eyebrow at her and said, "I did?"

"Yeah. You did. Before you would have made me pay for admitting all that stuff. You would have loved it, knowing you were right all along. Or …" Rory trailed off.

"Or what?" Tristan asked curiously.

"Or you would have accepted it and taken it at face value. You wouldn't have hesitated. You would have kissed me," Rory finished boldly looking into his eyes.

Tristan considered this. Rory tugged at her dress once more and said sadly, "you used to like me more."

"You hated it when I liked you so much."

"No, I didn't," Rory said quietly and Tristan saw the tears begin to well in her eyes.

"Don't cry," he said much more sternly then he intended.

"I know," she snuffled, "unfair tactic."

She collected herself and then shook her head ruefully, "don't worry Dugrey. I've learnt my lesson tonight…I'm not going to try and trick you into liking me again."

She stood up to go and Tristan felt something quicken in his chest. He wasn't sure what he wanted anymore but he couldn't let them leave things so decided.

He let out a slow wolf whistle as Rory started to turn around. "Louise and Madeline sure know how to dress them." He gave her the famous Dugrey gaze, slowly raking his eyes over her body.

Rory turned back and despite trying to give him a stern look, a smile tugged at her mouth.

"Are you going out with Cassidy?" She asked daringly. Cards on the table.

He gave her an impish smile and answered, "yes," while shaking his head no.

She sighed and squinted her eyes at him, "well let me know when you figure it out."


	11. Chapter 11

Things between them improved slightly. They talked again in the hallways, not the innuendo laden banter of before, but about regular things friends would discuss. Homework, movies, music…relationships were taboo. And every time Cassidy appeared, Rory seemed to disappear on the spot, only resurfacing once the effervescent sophomore had left.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Rory asked suddenly one day.

Tristan shrugged and answered, "nothing I can't change. Why?"

She hesitated for a second and then replied quickly, "I was thinking maybe you could come over for one of the Gilmore's famous movie nights. Lots of junk foods is a must. If you aren't busy."

Tristan smiled down at her while she squirmed under his gaze. "Why Rory Gilmore, did you just ask me out on a date?"

Rory rolled her eyes. "Please, my mom will be there."

"the more the merrier," Tristan shot back wickedly.

"Ugh," Rory said, "I was just inviting you to a nice evening between friends. That' all, Tristan."

Tristan stepped closer, out of habit, and said in a low voice, "what if I want it to be more?"

Rory regarded him with two stony blue eyes. Tristan winced and back up. He had forgotten the cardinal rule of their path to recovery, never acknowledge what lay between them. Not what had happened, not what might happen. The ball had been fully in Tristan's court and he had never got around to making a decision so their possibility hung between them, as subtle as a neon sign.

"Sorry, habit," he said.

"No problem," She answered grudgingly.

"So a night of family fun?" He joked lightly.

"Unless you have a date," She shot back, not in an altogether nice tone.

Tristan swallowed slowly. "I'd love to come."

She nodded quickly, somewhat mollified.

Rory came home the next afternoon to an empty house. She walked to Luke's and looked for her mother at their normal table. An hour or so later, Rory was beginning to feel antsy. Lorelai had told Rory that they would pick out the movies before Tristan arrived at six, which was approaching slowly.

She dialed her mom's cell again.

"Hey," Lorelai answered.

"where are you? You were supposed to be home ages ago."

"Sorry kid. Sookie and Jackson had a major to do. He went to go stay with a friend and I'm pulling major best friend cheer up duty."

"aw, poor Sookie," Rory answered immediately.

"Yeah," Lorelai replied, "So you and Tristan will be fine alone tonight? I'm probably going to spend the night here"

Rory gulped, it hadn't occurred to her it would just be the two of them.   
"Yeah." She answered uncertainly.

"Save some junk food for me, I should go."

Tristan rang the door bell just a few minutes after six o'clock. Rory answered the door with a slightly flushed expression. She joined him outside on the porch rather than inviting him inside.

"Hey," he said slightly amused at her strange behavior.

"Hi," She answered distractedly.

"You okay?"

"yeah, fine."

"So," He said motioning to the house, "should we go in."

Rory pulled open the door reluctantly and said, "I guess so."

"Where's your mom? I'm looking forward to meeting her after all the stories," Tristan said.

Rory made a face and said quietly, "she's not here…she's not coming actually."

Tristan raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Rory answered not meeting his eyes.

Tristan leaned cockily against the wall, "So …you planning on seducing me Mare?"

"You must be kidding," Rory answered incredulously.

"Well," Tristan said with a lazy smile, "you ask me over under the pretense of spending a very friend-ish night with candy and your mother. I turn up, and your mother has suddenly disappeared. Leaving just you and me in the house together." Tristan whispered the last part, as he walked closer to her.  
What Rory did could only be described as a scurry to get away from him.

"I thought my mother would be here. Right before you showed up she called and said she wasn't coming. And you really think this is what I'd wear to seduce you?" She asked motioning to her sweats and wife beater combo.

Tristan looked over her slowly. "You looked good to me Mare," He said in a tone laden with amusement.

Rory glared at him. "You really are …"

"irresistible?"

"unbearable." Rory shot back.

An hour later, the teens settled into the couch and were watching old episodes of saved by the bell.

"I can't believe you rented all of the seasons."

"Hey, A Saved by the Bell marathon is something to be commended and not mocked," Rory told him sternly.

Tristan shook his head, "you are strange."

Rory stuck her tongue out at him and whacked his head slightly with a couch pillow.

Tristan sat up, "what was that?"

"You not only insulted me but also Saved by the Bell," She told him primly.

"You dare muss the hair?" he asked imperiously.

"please, it looks exactly the same," she said looking at his tousled blonde locks.

Tristan gave her a haughty look and said, "a lot of work goes into my appearance. I can't have you messing it up."

"Oh yeah," Rory answered.

Tristan glanced back at the screen as the laugh track sounded off. The second he turned away Rory smacked his head with the same pillow, only this time much more enthusiastically.

Tristan glanced at her, his mouth in a slight 'o' of shock.

Rory giggled at his expression.

"You think that's funny?" Tristan asked with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

Rory couldn't answer because she was still shaking with laughter.

"Lets see how funny you think this is," Tristan said, swooping over to her side of the couch. He sat on her legs, making escape impossible, and began to tickle her mercilessly.  
"No," Rory shrieked as his fingers flew to her sides. She tried to grab at his hands, blocking them from their target. In one swift move, Tristan grasped both her wrists in his grip and held them over her head, pinning her to the couch below him. The two stopped their fun for a second as they realized the compromising position they were in.

The silence between them was almost painful as their eyes bore into each other's.

Rory licked her lips unconsciously and tried to clear her throat to say something.

"Shh," Tristan said, anticipating her discomfort.

His face loomed over her and she began to squirm under his weight.

"Mary, be calm," He said whispering even though it was only the two of them in the house, something Rory was painfully aware of as her body got used to his weight on top of her.

Something about the look in his eyes made Rory' s nerves fade and she felt her pulse quicken with excitement as Tristan leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met hesitantly but slowly gained confidence as the kiss deepened. Rory nipped Tristan's bottom lip quickly, eagerly, and he put his tongue in her mouth, probing the recesses. Tristan pulled away from her and regarded her with grin that stretch slowly across her face. Rory wriggled in discomfort as he watched her and tried to raise her face to his. He pulled back and said, "There's no need to rush Mary." She tried to still herself as he slowly kissed the underside of her wrist, both of which were still clasped in his hand. Tristan trailed soft kisses down her arm until he came to her shoulder. Rory began to shiver at the touch of his moist lips hitting her skin. He kissed her neck slowly and made his way to her chin, suddenly catching her mouth in a bruising kiss. Rory felt herself sinking even deeper into the couch and he laid himself out on top of her. With his free hand, he began to slowly roam her body. Lightly resting on her breast and then fluttering away as if he thought she'd suddenly want to stop. Rory could sense his hesitancy and wanted her make herself clear.

She tugged her hands from his grasp and pushed him off. She saw something harden in his jaw but Tristan didn't say anything. His expression changed to one of complete surprise as Rory pulled her tank top over her head, revealing a pink bra and smooth peach skin. Tristan's jaw lowered slightly and Rory smiled at his face.

"Come on," She said standing up from the couch and taking his hand.

"where?" he croaked.

She smiled again, and this time it was a bit of a smirk that reminded him of his own, "you'll see."

She was leading him to her bedroom when Tristan yanked on her arm, sending her back into his arms.

"What?" She asked confusedly.

He didn't say anything and instead caught her lips with his in a searing kiss. They stumbled blindly before Rory's back collided into the wall.

The impact didn't stop the two. Rory's hand skimmed under Tristan's shirt, feeling the smooth skin and tensing of his muscles. Frustrated with the material, she tugged impatiently at his shirt and soon it joined hers on the floor. She took a moment to survey Tristan's six pack and toned muscles. She smiled in delight.

Tristan watched her checking him out so blatantly and said, "like what you see Mary?"

She answered back impishly, "I'm not a Mary, Tristan. I told you that. I haven't been all school year."

Tristan shook his head carefully and answered back with a smirk, "someone obviously didn't do it right the first time," and with that he hoisted her up against the wall, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist in order not to fall.

He sucked at the skin at the junction of her neck and collarbone.

"Tristan." Rory moaned breathily after he scraped his teeth alone her skin.

He smirked into her skin hearing him react to her like that.

He ground his growing excitement against, letting her feel his reaction to her. Rory's eyes widened imperceptibly and soon her fingers were fumbling with his belt buckle. Tristan felt himself harden at the feel of her tugging at his belt and undoing his zipper. Tristan's pants slid down and pooled around his leg. He stepped out of them carefully and gingerly unwound Rory from his waist. She leaned against the wall obviously disappointed with the lack of contact between them. Tristan stared into her eyes and as he expertly undid the ties of her sweatpants and then with a cocky smile he tugged on them, hard. The pants fell down revealing a pair of simple white panties. She too stepped out of them and smiled at him, almost shyly, before saying, "the bedroom?"

Tristan followed her in mutely and had her sit on the bed. He kissed her again and it deepened quickly. Soon he was on top of her, flicking open the clasp of her bra with one hand and skimming the edge of her underwear with the other. Rory shivered as the cool air met her exposed chest. She turned away uncomfortably as Tristan looked over her.

"Hey no being shy," He said.

She met his eyes again. Tristan kissed her forehead lightly and lowered his head to her breast. He kissed it lightly, measuring her reaction. Rory gasped. Tristan smiled and moved one hand farther down her body. His nimble fingers slid inside her underwear and expertly inserted himself inside her. Rory let out a deep breathe of air as his fingers hit areas she wasn't even aware she had.

"TRIS-tan," She cried loudly as he probed a particularly sensitive area.

Tristan smiled as he kissed, he had never figured her for a screamer.

"Tristan, I want you," she whispered into his ear. She had no idea the effect those words had on him. Tristan looked around quickly for his pants but Rory was quicker to it and reached inside her nightstand drawer. She pressed the condom into his hand and he gave her a surprised look, "Ready supply?"

She rolled her eyes sheepishly, "My mom gave them to me as a joke."

"Remind me to thank your mom ," He whispered as he ripped open the package and wriggled out of his boxers. He slowly pulled Rory's underwear of her. She kicked at them as they made it to her feet, hastening the process. Tristan looked into her eyes and entered her slowly. Rory bit back a cry of surprise as he filled her. Tristan pumped slowly, watching Rory's reactions to his every movement. She felt herself become comfortable with him inside her. He pulled put quickly and entered her again, this time swiftly and with force. Rory bucked her hips automatically, allowing him to deeper access.

"Oh my god," She cried as he moved inside her. She felt all the heat gather low in her stomach and she felt like she was soaring. Intense pleasure ripped through her body and Tristan soon joined her in climax. After it was over, both of them laid quietly, unabashedly staring at each other in happiness.

"That had to be better than Saved by the Bell," Tristan said jokingly.

Rory just nodded her head blankly, still too stunned from what had happened. Tristan felt his body relax and he started to drift to sleep.

That was until he heard a soft tempting whisper in his ear, "you were right. It certainly wasn't done right the first time."

He smiled contentedly. Rory clambered on top of him, straddling him with ease.

Tristan cocked an eye open and asked, "and what are you doing?"

"Up for seconds?" She asked breathily, grinding her hips into him.

Tristan bit back a smile.

"what?"

"who knew you'd be so aggressive bed."

Rory laughed delightedly. "Definitely not me. Something about you, Tristan Dugrey, does something to me."

Tristan flipped her suddenly so he was on top.

"Only one thing?" He growled into her ear.

"Maybe," she tried to capture his mouth in a kiss, "a few more than one."


	12. Chapter 12

Rory awoke to the door slamming and her mother crying, "Honey, I'm home. Shower than Luke's.," loudly. She groaned and rolled over …and met flesh. Warm, golden, boy flesh. Rory sat up with a start and stared, panic-stricken, at Tristan's unclothed body stretched across the bed. Her bed. The bed in her room in her house, the house her mother had just entered.

"Tristan," Rory hissed while she shoved at the boy's shoulder.

"Rory what the hell-" Tristan was cut off as Rory clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Ssh," She motioned furiously while putting one finger to her lips and giving him a death glare.

Even beneath her hand, Rory could feel Tristan begin to smirk.

Tristan, still heavy with sleep, only noticed how cute Rory looked when she was angry. He fixed her with a sultry glare and jerked his head so that her hand was no longer suffocating him.

"So you want to play rough Gilmore?" Tristan jeered quietly.

Rory's glare bored into his head and she whispered, almost mouthing the words, "my mother is in the house."

Rory was happy to note a twinge of fear entered Tristan's eyes. Even he was wise enough to not want to encounter her mother in his current state.

Tristan mouthed the word, "where?" at Rory. She pointed to the ceiling signaling upstairs and suddenly the color paled from her face.

"What?" Tristan mouthed.

"your car. She has to have seen your car." Rory almost whimpered.

Tristan suddenly felt incredibly lucky.

"I parked down the street."

"what?"

"I didn't park in front of the house. I was going to, well I almost did. But as I was pulling up, I hit something…I hit a garden gnome. Someone had lined them up out there, right by the street, and it was dark. I couldn't see the damn thing. Anyway I didn't know who to tell and I didn't want to be around to talk to the owner so I moved my car way farther down the street," Tristan whispered with a note of elation in his voice.

To his surprise Rory didn't look relieved. In fact a worried frown was marring her face.

"You hit a gnome."

"yeah. It was an accident."

"Tristan," she sighed, "Babette loves those gnomes. They are like her children. You have no idea how hard she will take this."

Tristan let out a breathe of impatience.

"Rory, I think you might be possibly missing the bigger picture here."

"which is, gnome killer?"

"that we are a few minutes from your mother catching me in your bed naked, that if I hadn't hit the gnome your mother would already know that I spent the entire night here-alone with you and she would charge in here, again seeing me in your bed-naked."

"oh. Yeah. TRISTAN, you have to leave now. Now. Now" Rory hustled him out of her bed, the urgency of the situation catching up with her.

Tristan smiled.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about the gnome a little more?"

"You are unbearable."

"you love me for it."

"love is a strong word."

"yeah and some of the other noises you were making last night were pretty strong too."

"Tristan," Rory said, looking down and deeply flushing.

He chuckled at the sight of her, unabashedly naked in front of him and yet blushing at his words.

He slipped on his pants and went to the door to leave, Rory followed behind him.

He crept onto the porch and turned around to her, "so I guess…I'll see you at school."

Rory turned upstairs making sure her mom wasn't near approaching.

"Yeah. And Tristan,"

"Yeah?"

"Break up with Cassidy." Her tone brooked no argument.

Tristan smiled as her benevolently, "we were never together Rory."

Rory quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Really. We were just friends, she knew that from the beginning. I only let you think it because it pissed you off so much."

Rory stopped herself from saying anything else, she knew the younger girl definitely had feelings for Tristan but she certainly wasn't going to argue her case.

"well you better go," Rory whispered casting another furtive glance behind her.

"Yeah," Tristan said and with that he turned and started down the steps.

Rory watched his back with a sense of worry.

"Hey boyfriend," She called out.

Tristan turned around and fixed her with a smile, "yeah?"

She smiled back.

"Nothing, just making sure."


End file.
